Jamaica leads western hemisphere in press freedom

CMC – Jamaica has emerged the leader among other Caribbean countries for guaranteeing freedom of the press, according to Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF).

In a statement, it said that the Caribbean country has replaced Canada as the western hemisphere's leader in the global press freedom index.

The RSF cites political tension and judicial harassment which have led to several Caribbean countries receiving low grades on its global press freedom index.

It said Trinidad and Tobago, which was ranked 44th, has still not stopped its illegal monitoring of journalists’ phone calls and attempts to identify their sources although it promised to stop in 2010.

Suriname, which dropped nine places to 31st, RSF said “often stormy relations between President Desi Bouterse and many journalists are unlikely to improve after the passage of an amnesty law for the murders of around 15 government opponents, including five journalists, three decades ago” when Bouterse headed a military government in the Dutch-speaking country.

RSF said that the seven-member Organisation of East Caribbean States fell eight places to 34th because of direct pressure from the political authorities on news media and the failure to move ahead with the decriminalisation of defamation.

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